Gripes about CHAINBANGERZ

April 19th, 2012, 01:17 PM

Two of my good friends played the last monthly Ace Run and they both won in their respective divisions. What happened next has lead each of them believe everything I’ve ever told them about the guys who own and operate Chainbangerz. My friend took 1st in Open out of 6 people and received $80. Later we saw online that the winner from the prior month took home $100 out of just four players. Interestingly, someone had asked Keith what the payout was gonna be between rounds and he said he didn’t know yet, obviously that’s because it depends on who wins.

The other friend took first in Advanced and took his script promptly over to the shop to redeem. They didn’t have the bag straps he was looking for (no surprise there), so he browsed the used bin. Lo and behold there was one of his leopards (that I gave him as a gift, btw) with his PDGA number written across the top and his name and phone number on the bottom. He never once received a phone call. He tried to make a deal with the guy at the shop, surely they wouldn’t charge him $8 for his own used plastic. OH BUT THEY DID!! He ended up spending $8 of his script on a disc that had all of his info on it.

I do believe my friends have learned their lesson the hard way. I have quietly avoided supporting this company by not playing their tourneys or buying from their store, until now. I won’t be quiet anymore. We are sick of people without integrity running events that don’t better our sport. Chainbangerz fills the calendar with crap tourneys (who wants to ace run when ratings are on the line?) and somehow they were able to “take over” all control of tourneys at Lakewood and Seatac. Their biggest fuck up yet, killing CSI.

CSI (Cool Shoes Invitational, for those of you that don’t remember all the way back to last year) was gaining momentum and notoriety after 12 successful years. When I was down in Santa Cruz at worlds, Devan Owens and Will Schusterick told me they were “coming to Seattle to beat Dave at that stupid little C-tier he always wins.” That may not sound very complimentary to you, but trust me, it’s a big deal. We were going to have legit touring pros coming to play our 13th annual CSI……… If these guys weren’t so dim witted they could have capitalized on the strong foundation already built, they could have made a partnership, instead they selfishly stifled us. How much more are we going to lose to them? I say NO MORE!

“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” Abraham Lincoln

Two of my good friends played the last monthly Ace Run and they both won in their respective divisions. What happened next has lead each of them believe everything I’ve ever told them about the guys who own and operate Chainbangerz. My friend took 1st in Open out of 6 people and received $80. Later we saw online that the winner from the prior month took home $100 out of just four players. Interestingly, someone had asked Keith what the payout was gonna be between rounds and he said he didn’t know yet, obviously that’s because it depends on who wins.

The other friend took first in Advanced and took his script promptly over to the shop to redeem. They didn’t have the bag straps he was looking for (no surprise there), so he browsed the used bin. Lo and behold there was one of his leopards (that I gave him as a gift, btw) with his PDGA number written across the top and his name and phone number on the bottom. He never once received a phone call. He tried to make a deal with the guy at the shop, surely they wouldn’t charge him $8 for his own used plastic. OH BUT THEY DID!! He ended up spending $8 of his script on a disc that had all of his info on it.

I do believe my friends have learned their lesson the hard way. I have quietly avoided supporting this company by not playing their tourneys or buying from their store, until now. I won’t be quiet anymore. We are sick of people without integrity running events that don’t better our sport. Chainbangerz fills the calendar with crap tourneys (who wants to ace run when ratings are on the line?) and somehow they were able to “take over” all control of tourneys at Lakewood and Seatac. Their biggest fuck up yet, killing CSI.

CSI (Cool Shoes Invitational, for those of you that don’t remember all the way back to last year) was gaining momentum and notoriety after 12 successful years. When I was down in Santa Cruz at worlds, Devan Owens and Will Schusterick told me they were “coming to Seattle to beat Dave at that stupid little C-tier he always wins.” That may not sound very complimentary to you, but trust me, it’s a big deal. We were going to have legit touring pros coming to play our 13th annual CSI……… If these guys weren’t so dim witted they could have capitalized on the strong foundation already built, they could have made a partnership, instead they selfishly stifled us. How much more are we going to lose to them? I say NO MORE!

“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” Abraham Lincoln

I'm guessing you're talking about Mark? If not I apologize but Wednesday Mark came in and used $80 in scrip so that would be an odd coincidence to not be the person you are talking about. The "guy at the shop" was me. First let's start by getting some added details and truths out. Mark never brought me his scrip card and I said no problem, bring it in next time you're in the shop and yes you can use your $80 in scrip. He took a couple of collectibles off the wall and one used disc from the bin in which he payed $3 and some change with after his scrip ran dry. He never said that was his disc and if he did he sure did it quietly and/or didn't make it apparent and he sure as hell didn't try to make a deal with me like you said. I know I was there, you were not. If it was in the used a couple of things could have happened; if it was in the lost and found and then made it's way over to the used at some point he was given a call, I know this because I call EVERY single disc that comes in there. The other things that could have happened is someone may have found it, scribbled out his name and turned it in as this does some time happen even when we are being vigilant to prevent it. I certainly did not see any PDGA number, phone number or a name on there.

Get your facts straight next time, third hand knowledge doesn't work. I was there.

Sometimes my mind boggles. It's so deep my mind actually boggles.

~ Cyndi Lauper ~

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Actually on further reading... it looks like the 80 dollar payout guy and the one who was reportedly denied his disc in the used bin are different people.... so perhaps that wasn't you working sillybizz?

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Its funny you should bitch about the people who ACTUALLY do things for the sport..... While you are busy holding a fundraiser tourney for YOURSELF.

Thank you Kieth for ALL that you do for the sport!

I too want to thank Chainbangerz for all that they do to help this sport grow.
Yes they are a for profit company but I have experienced first hand that it would not be their first objective. I have had only positive experiences with everyone associated with the company.

I easily could see how a lost disc could end up in the used bin and based on my experiences if someone would say "hey that's mine" I am sure that it would be returned in accordance to their protocol.
I will leave the payout issues alone since I was not their at either event and cannot confirm the number of players etc.

Actually on further reading... it looks like the 80 dollar payout guy and the one who was reportedly denied his disc in the used bin are different people.... so perhaps that wasn't you working sillybizz?

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Its funny you should bitch about the people who ACTUALLY do things for the sport..... While you are busy holding a fundraiser tourney for YOURSELF.

Thank you Kieth for ALL that you do for the sport!

Some people open shops, others play the game, others make the merchandise... i'm pretty sure it's all important, so pull your head out of your ass.

Its funny that you think that playing the game and being ranked 13th in the world for my gender and division isn't doing anything? i work my ass off and i dont have to defend myself. nobody is forced to help me, but they want to.

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As a fellow TD, I know how much work goes into planning/ organizing events and we've always enjoyed the events we've gone to by Chainbangerz.

I also give them credit for trying to promote disc golf around the area not just at "their" courses, since I know they have given away swag for other(s) tournaments.

As far as the comments about "I don't like their events"... this seems a simple fix to me, DON'T attend the events you don't like. I know there's a couple of events I personally don't support (my pet-peeve happens to be trophies only for AM's) but I don't "slam" the TD's for this practice because it's clearly stated I just choose not to attend. So if you don't like the events run by a certain company or TD, then simple don't play them.

As far as the used disc issue, it just seems so hard to believe that after being shown your name was clearly in a used disc that anyone wouldn't just return it to you. I run the lost and found here at our course and that's why we encourage people putting their info in every disc they buy.

As far as the CSI issue, there's a lot of "behind the scenes drama" associated with it.

A big thanks to Keith and his crew, a lot of us notice the good you try to do for the sport!

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Some people open shops, others play the game, others make the merchandise... i'm pretty sure it's all important, so pull your head out of your ass.

Its funny that you think that playing the game and being ranked 13th in the world for my gender and division isn't doing anything? i work my ass off and i dont have to defend myself. nobody is forced to help me, but they want to.

Jealousy suits you though, has for years.

A player's ranking, gender, or division has nothing to do with how much one does for the sport.

As for the payout (80 vs 100), how about the overall field size of all players? It has been known that some of the Am payout gets moved to the Pro side. Not that I agree with that, but it is up to the Event director. If you don't like the Event don't attend.

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Lets see. If it wasnt for CBDG the only tournament I would have played so far this year would be the Ice Bowl at white river. I dont even know where the ratings went on that one it doesnt show in my tourney list. I do wish the CSI would come back.

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Some people open shops, others play the game, others make the merchandise... i'm pretty sure it's all important, so pull your head out of your ass.

Its funny that you think that playing the game and being ranked 13th in the world for my gender and division isn't doing anything? i work my ass off and i dont have to defend myself. nobody is forced to help me, but they want to.

Jealousy suits you though, has for years.

Basket thieves

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I'm guessing you're talking about Mark? If not I apologize but Wednesday Mark came in and used $80 in scrip so that would be an odd coincidence to not be the person you are talking about. The "guy at the shop" was me. First let's start by getting some added details and truths out. Mark never brought me his scrip card and I said no problem, bring it in next time you're in the shop and yes you can use your $80 in scrip. He took a couple of collectibles off the wall and one used disc from the bin in which he payed $3 and some change with after his scrip ran dry. He never said that was his disc and if he did he sure did it quietly and/or didn't make it apparent and he sure as hell didn't try to make a deal with me like you said. I know I was there, you were not. If it was in the used a couple of things could have happened; if it was in the lost and found and then made it's way over to the used at some point he was given a call, I know this because I call EVERY single disc that comes in there. The other things that could have happened is someone may have found it, scribbled out his name and turned it in as this does some time happen even when we are being vigilant to prevent it. I certainly did not see any PDGA number, phone number or a name on there.

Get your facts straight next time, third hand knowledge doesn't work. I was there.

Thomas, you are my favorite person there, no joke. I'm glad you responded. You are right, I wasn't there to witness the incident with Mark. I can let that go, and i'll probably get over the rest of it pretty quick too. I was just venting because it feels good to get it out frustrations about what I feel is wrong in the world. this is how i feel so it is what it is.

Bottom line, for everyone else, I don't play the tourneys, i wont play the tourneys, and that was always my plan. Thanks Yall for listenin!

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Kind of off the topic, but why is jub not allowed to run the csi or jet wash for that matter. Those two were great tournaments and i like attending jubs tournaments. Seatac is a great course to play especially when the aura is right and that is what i have felt there compared to other tournaments at seatac/lakewood.

Also liked when eric ran the tournaments as well..........one heck of a guy to play a round of disc golf with.

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Haha, this thread is so epic - definitely multiple sides to every argument but as is often the case, some seem more logical and well-formed than others

Definitely wish you the best of luck at Worlds Jesse, you have become one of the local female dg stars, but there I've never felt compelled to 'support' a 'representative' financially for what is essentially a disc golf vacation be it Feldberg, Climo, myself, or others...

IMO there is a significant difference between activities that benefit mostly, but perhaps not entirely, the self (practicing, 'representing', etc.) and activities that benefit the community (assisting at work parties, participating in club/course decision-making, proposing and enacting solutions to problems we face, TD'ing tournaments).

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P.S. - In addition to not playing the tournaments, you may want to 'boycott' 6 holes from every round at Lakewood, PretzelBowl, and the entire course at SeaTac, because without the efforts of the club, these disc golf resources would no longer be available